radar install on mast

[george123]

I will be installing the 18 " HD radar on the mast of a 34' sailboat. The height of the radar to the deck is 20' 6". The mast is deck stepped. I would like to make the connection at the deck. I will be using an extension radar cable. It is my understanding the extensions only come in 2m (6' 6"), 5m (16' 4"), and 10m (32' 9") lengths.
Is there 7.5 m cable available?
If this is not available can I connect a 2m cable to a 5 m cable that I would than pull up the mast? When I connect the two cables together should I be concerned about making the connection water tight? I would plan on connecting the 5m to the radar and connect the 2 m to the 5m. Because of the weight of the cable hanging in the mast should I tape the to together at the connect so that the tape will take the strain of the cable weight?
Once I have the mast wired I plan on installing the 10m cable that comes with the radar from the navigation station down below through the boat and up through the deck. When the mast is reinstalled I would make the connection to the extension cable and lower the mast onto the step plate on the deck. At the nav station down below I have a raynet cable with a joiner short cable that I would connect the radar cable to and provide power to the radar cable. The raynet cable goes to a e95 at the wheel.

One last question The boat had an old 18 radar scanner that connect to a Pathfinder RL70. Will the new 18HD radar mount in the same [censored] pattern?

Thanks
George

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum George,

Q1. Is there 7.5 m cable available?
A1. No. It is recommended that excess Digital Radar Cable be loosely coiled and secured to a bulkhead.

Q2. If this is not available can I connect a 2m cable to a 5 m cable that I would than pull up the mast?
A2. It is indeed possible to use a 2.5m Extension and a 5m Extension to create a 7.5m extension.

Q3. When I connect the two cables together should I be concerned about making the connection water tight?
A3. The plugs of Digital Radar Cables and Digital Radar Extension Cables features seals to protect their contacts from the marine environment.

Q4. I would plan on connecting the 5m to the radar and connect the 2 m to the 5m. Because of the weight of the cable hanging in the mast should I tape the to together at the connect so that the tape will take the strain of the cable weight?
A4. While it can't hurt, it should be necessary to do as you have suggested. The plugs Digital Radar Extension Cables feature strain relief collars.

Q5. One last question The boat had an old 18 radar scanner that connect to a Pathfinder RL70. Will the new 18HD radar mount in the same [censored] pattern?
A5. Raymarine's Digital and HD Digital Radomes are designed with the same bolt pattern as had been used by the 2D, 4D, RD218 and RD424 radomes. Accordingly, one of these older radomes may be unbolted from the mounting surface and the Digital Radome or HD Digital Radome bolt [censored] will align with those which had been used to mount the radome being replaced.

[george123]

We will be running the cable in the mast this coming weekend. As a precaution I would like to check the cable once it is installed in the mast. The cable that plugs into the radar and the end of extension cable has two power pins and 4 signal pins. Do you have a diagram of the pin out? Also do have the pin out for the Raynet cable end that is on the radar cable?
The cable was run when the mast was down and we do not want to have a problem once the mast is back up.

Thanks
George